Thursday, January 24, 2013

Warrant article seeks to form committee to study libraries

Are these people serious? With all of the pressing matters in town, emergency Budget Committee Meetings cause they can't manage money and spending tax money like it's water driving the rates up with spending warrant after spending warrant, these fools now want to abolish a piece of history that cost us a whopping $2,086. in spending on improvements last year. Don't let them pull the wool over your eyes, what's the real motive behind these latest shenanigans?

Posted: Thursday, January 24, 2013 12:00 pm

By Meghan Foley
Sentinel Staff

The historic tin ceiling at the Thayer Public Library in Ashuelot is one
of the areas of the building that needs to be repaired. In the photo is
library volunteer Joan Gratton, left, and trustee Harriet Charland

WINCHESTER — Years of discussion about whether the town can
afford two libraries is likely to come to a head at town meeting in
March. A warrant article, which selectmen are recommending 4-1, seeks to
establish a committee of seven residents to study the effects of
consolidating the Thayer and Conant public libraries. If the article
passes, the committee would be appointed by the selectmen and consist of
one representative each from the Thayer and Conant libraries, and five
town residents.
Selectmen Chairwoman Roberta A. Fraser said there has been a lot
of interest and questions from residents and town officials about the
need for Winchester to have two libraries. There have also been
discussions within the town recently about who should be responsible for
the care and upkeep of the Thayer Library moving forward, she said.
“It doesn’t hurt to look at the sustainability of having two libraries in town,” she said.
The Thayer Library, which is located on Ashuelot Main
Street in the village of Ashuelot, was donated to Winchester by Julia
Thayer in 1906, and has historically operated independently with little
financial support from the town. Running the Conant Library, which is on
Main Street, relies primarily on town funds.
The placement of the warrant article comes after
Thayer Library trustees came under fire from the selectmen on Dec. 5 for
the way in which they amended the library’s bylaws earlier in 2011. Of
the bylaws that were amended, the selectmen took the most issue with the
one that shifted the responsibilities of caring for the library away
from the library director and trustees.
At the December meeting, Fraser said the original
bylaws were intended to not put the burden of caring for the library on
the town, and the new bylaws had been amended to completely change that
intent without notifying the town.Selectman Theresa Sepe said the library trustees
should have brought the changes to the selectmen before making them, as
the town had no funds in its budget to maintain the library.
According to the Winchester town report for fiscal
year 2010-11, the Thayer Library’s expenses totaled $2,086, while the
Conant Library spent $89,999. Also that year, over 10,000 books were
loaned out to people using the Conant Library. In 2012, 236 books were
borrowed from the Thayer Library.
The original Thayer Library bylaws, which dated back
to when the building was donated to the town, put the responsibility of
caring for the library and grounds on the library director. The director
would live in the apartment above the library. The library now operates
with an all-volunteer staff, and no one is living in the apartment.
It wasn’t until their meeting on Jan. 9 that the
selectmen voted to put the warrant article to establish the library
study committee on the March 12 ballot.
Julia Ferrari, chairwoman of the Thayer Library
trustees, said while it’s likely the warrant article was based on
financial reasons, it doesn’t take into account the long-term effect it
could have on the quality of education provided to children in the
community.
“If we only think about the ground we’re standing on right now, and not the future, we’re being short-sighted,” she said.
Edward Lake, who was the director of the Thayer
Library from 1999 until he resigned in 2011, said while the library is
an asset to the town and village of Ashuelot, he understands the
selectmen’s concerns.
“We, like other towns, are in a financial crisis. Now
out of the blue, we have something like the Thayer Library trustees
changing things and bringing taxpayers more expenses that they never had
before. They don’t want to take on the extra expense,” he said.
For decades, the Thayer Library has been
self-sufficient, and what has gotten it in trouble is the trustees
changing the bylaws, he said.
Over the years, Ashuelot has lost its school, fire
department and mills, and closing the library would take away what makes
Ashuelot significant, he said.
Ferrari said she doesn’t know what the future
operational setup of the library may be, but the trustees hope to
continue to connect with the Conant Library.
“By working hand-in-hand, the two libraries can work together and help each other,” she said.

Meghan Foley can be reached at 603-352 1234 x1436 or at mfoley@keenesentinel.com. Follow her on Twitter @MFoleyKS.

1 comment:

Ashuelot Literary Critic
said...

How many Ashuelot libraries could the town support with just the increase in the insurance costs of the town employees. With what little it costs to run that library, the selectmen should be ashamed to even consider it. It costs less to run that library than just the benefits of one employee. It is an attempt to rob the village of Ashuelot of it's rich identity. Let's hope that the inhabitants of the village and surrounding area will remember the person that brought up this underhanded scheme. Spread the word.

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